Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-13
FROM THE PANHANDLE.
Hon. J. Il. Browning is interviewed on
the Condition OF Affairs In the
Great Texas Panhandle.
Every thing FIourishing-To Form an In
= tellfSent Estimate of that Section
q One Must Visit 1t.


Hon. J. N. Browning of Mobeetie was
in the city yesterday on his way to Dallas
and paid THE GAZETTE q pleasant call.
He is perhaps the best posted man in the
Panhandle and the Establishments of THE
| GAZETTE scribe beguiled him into i'm
parting much valuable information con-
corning that section which is here given:
Reporter-"Mr. Browning, has your
fsectioh suffered much from the drouth
fthis Year,"
Said Mr.. Browning: "No, sir; we have
had some drouth last winter which was
the best thing that could have happened
for the cattle interests, as it tended to
| preserve the grass instead of washing the
substance out of it. The cattle came
through the winter very well, and are
now in good condition. OF course the
drouth Tapped over on the spring little
more than we desired, but the rains
finally came down and relieved all anx-
| ietv. We had rains in Mobeetie long be-
| fore they fell in more centrally located
! districts. 1 may say on the whole, that
| we have not suffered from drouth. Our
people are as prosperous and thriving as
possible"
RepOrter-"Does your section seem to
be attracting many farmers, or is it
adapted2o farming purposes?"
Said Mr.. Browning-"We have num-
Der of farmers and have had them since
the country was first settled. I think it
safe to say that, for the capital invested,
the farmers have made more money than
the stockmen, but al the same time stock
raising is the predominating industry. Well
Watered? Yes, but you cannot tell much
by looking at the maps. No man Can
form an intelligent idea of the Panhandle
without visiting it. 1t is country
unique and peculiar to itself and cannot
be measured by the ordinary rules of
estimating other sections. I was talking
before left home to Hon. B. NJ. Baker,
| formerly state superintendent of public
! schools, and he told me of his expe-
rience. He said that after being state
officer for four years he fiattered himself
that he knew the Panhandle country, but
! he was willing to confess that he knew
nothing about it until his present visit.
And this is the case. with the maj ority of
people. They go to Albany, Wichita
/ Falls or Harold and imagine they Gave
visited the Panhandle but they can learn
| bit little about it without 8 more eX-
| tended observation"
| Reporter: "Does your town of Mo-
beetle expect additional railroad con-
nections?"
Said Mr.. Browning: ayes; we are ex-
pecting more railroads as soon as the
projected lines are extended. We will
not secure all OF them. Some will, like
Abraham and Lot, go to the right and to
the left of US, but others will come to
u.s."
! PnoOrter. GryUba+ woo tho onnooropco
| Of the growing crops which you have
seen on your way DOWN."
Said Mr.. Browning: "Well, cannot
give you much information on this head.
In the Immediate vicinity Of my home l
have little opportunity of witnessing
much agriculture and am not good
| judge. However, made some inquiries
on the train and was informed that they
were very good and gave promise of an
ample yield"
| Reporter: 81 presume the political
horizon is clear and cloudless out west;
have you any prohibs and antis?" The
! scribe, usually bold as a lion, prOpounded
| this question with considerable terpida-
| ton. He did not dare to ask the question
| singly, but tackled it on as ''rider" to q
! clever and very learned observation upon
| politics in general. To his establishment,
however, the gentleman from the wild,
wide west responded without hesitancy
| or any of those circumlocutary expedi-
! ents so common to statesmen near the
| efete centers of civilization. He spoke
with fresh western frankness, which at
! once disarmed suspicion and satisfied in
| Quiry.
| Said Mr.. Browning: "There has been
and will be but little talk on the subject
of prohibition in the Panhandle, owing to
the fact that our country is too sparsely
settled. doubt If there will be speech
made out there during the campaign.
| People however, are fully awake to its
| Importance, and l would not be surprised
if the amendment received q respectable
vote in the Panhandle"
Reporter-'In your opinion does q
mans vote on this amendment have any
thing to do with his political affiliations
I as Democrat or a Republican," i
Said Mr.. Browning-"It does not; this
is pOlitico-economi question, or ques-
ton of police regulation; it is strictly
nOn-partisan."
Reporter-"You are not afraid of being
read out of the Democratic party, them"
Said Mr.. Browniug-"Not much. l
think both sides concede this non-parti-
san question. There was some talk about
the Dallas convention, or some of its
members, threatening TO read people out
of the Democratic party for voting for the
amendment, but that, think, has passed
over and will not be again heard from.
If the prohibition executive committee in
sist on reading me out of the party I want
it to send lis lettres de cachet by that
sterling Democratic warhorse, A. N.
Cuney. of Galveston" continued Mr..
Browning, laughing, and the pleasant
chef ended.